Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Hendry Langlands (junior) | Designation: | | Born: | 1894 | Died: | April 1992 | Bio Notes: | James Hendry Langlands was born c.1894, the son of James Hendry Langlands of Dundee and his wife Barbara Keay Isles. He was educated at Dundee High School and was articled to his father c.1908, working under the supervision of William Gillespie Lamond, then chief assistant. During his apprenticeship he studied architecture at Dundee Technical College under Patrick Thoms and concurrently qualified as a surveyor and structural engineer. On Lamond's sudden death in June 1912 he took over the detail design work of the Eastern School, Broughty Ferry and largely designed the Morgan Academy extension before seeking wider experience in London at an office which has yet to be identified.
As architect to Dundee School Board and several other boards the elder Langlands became extremely prosperous and lived in some style in a late Georgian mansion at Cunmont, Newbiggin. But in 1919 as a result of local government changes Dundee School Board was absorbed into the Corporation of the City of Dundee and the schools were taken over by the City Architect's Department. The Langlands practice was almost wholly dependent on schoolwork and as some of the School Board architects had retained office in Aberdeen and other places, Langlands unsuccessfully sued for the loss of office, an action which alienated the Town Council and caused further damage to the practice.
James Hendry Langlands Senior died in a Dundee nursing home on 9 June 1932, leaving moveable estate of £264 18s 8d. His son continued the practice thereafter. He built little, specialising in structural engineering, particularly shop alterations. He is recorded in his obituary as having designed the 23 bridges on the Kinlochleven Road but whether on his own account or as an assistant in a practice to which he had gone to gain experience has still to be established.
James Hendry Langlands Junior closed the practice in the mid-1960s, by which date it was at a very low ebb; the office was still at 31 Murraygate and had remained unchanged since World War I. His last major work was the extensive stone repairs of St Mary's Parish Church, Dundee, work which he carried out with great care and skill without losing the original coursing or the polished face of the ashlars. He died in April 1992 at the great age of 98, still living in the house built by his father for his aunts. He never married, the great interest of his life being motorcars: because of their home at Cunmont, outside the city, the Langlands family had acquired a motorcar very early.
The practice archive which had remained complete was unfortunately destroyed, although a few framed presentation drawings were deposited with the buildings the practice had designed. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 31, Murraygate, Dundee, Scotland | Business | c. 1908 | After 1964 | Some handwritten documents (including James Lowe's and A Lawrence Chapman's LRIBA papers) appear to give the address as 81 Murraygate, but the correct address was no 31 (as printed in RIBA Kalendars) |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | James Hendry Langlands (senior) | c. 1908 | | Apprentice | Later partner |
Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Arthur Williamson | 1891 | 1896 | Apprentice | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architectural Review | April 1908 | CXXIII | | p269-271 | | Dundee Courier and Advertiser | 16 April 1992 | | | Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from James H Langlands and Robert Dron who worked in the office in 1913-14 |
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